Last week one of my colleagues covered the correct way to deal with rejection in the graduate job market. For those of you who missed it, the crucial thing to take away from every failed application is an awareness of perspective. Success is often based on numerous, subjective factors and, as such, can be elusive to even the most suitable candidates. In short: try not to take it too personally.
However sometimes, albeit rarely, this can be easier said than done. What do you do when your request for work experience/ an internship/ a job receives a less than courteous response? The tempting reaction is to strike back tit for tat. Tempting but foolhardy. Chances are you have other pending applications elsewhere in the industry, perhaps even within the same organisation. If you type out that witty and acerbic response you'll enjoy it for maybe half an hour, but then what? The person you emailed probably has connections, influence at their disposal which, with a few choice words and/or a copy of your response, can undermine all your hard work, perhaps indefinitely.
This is of course common sense. Except we've all been there in the heat of the moment and acted on impulse. "To err is human". Although I'm not going to suggest the next part is essential; forgiveness may be divine, but divinity is for characters from epic poetry. Instead, on the rare occasion you do receive the 'stinker', there are several things you can do to prevent any significant instances of careericide.
Most importantly walk away. Soak in the email and then take a walk. This will serve two purposes. On the one hand, when you return you might find yourself mistaken - misunderstanding can change the tone entirely. On the other, it'll provide an opportunity to cool off and return with a more level-headed approach.
So, supposing it is still offensive to your sensibilities, read through it, or ask someone trustworthy to, and consider whether the points might actually be justified. 'Harsh but true' is a cliche we've all found to be valid at one point or another. Obviously rudeness is never pleasant, but the objective is to try and disengage from your emotions and learn as much as possible from the experience.
If it wasn't a case of mistaken interpretation, or cannot be justified in any way, the only thing left to do is respond as courteously as possible. It is the only realistic option and may serve you in good stead for future applications. In this scenario just remember: there is at least one horrific human being in the industry that you'll be able to replace.
